Regional

8:22 am

Wed July 23, 2014

Albuquerque Police Shoot, Kill Wanted Suspect

Albuquerque police fatally shot an armed suspect wanted by federal authorities Tuesday after a foot chase that temporarily shut down parts of the city, officials said.

Deputy Police Chief William Roseman told reporters that two officers shot Jeremy Joe Robertson, 33, after he fled plain-clothed officers at a gas station. Albuquerque police had been called to help with an investigation conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, police said.

At least two shots were fired, and the man died at the scene, Roseman said.

Robertson had pulled a firearm from his waistband and was viewed as a threat to people in the area, Roseman said.

"The subject had felony warrants and past history of violent encounters with law enforcement," Roseman said. He did not identify the officers in the shooting and didn't take questions from reporters.

According to court records, Robertson had two outstanding warrants on probation violations connected to charges of receiving and transferring stolen vehicles.

The shooting comes as the city of Albuquerque and the U.S. Justice Department are locked in negotiations over ordered reforms following a harsh report about the police department's use of force. A possible agreement with the Justice Department might include an independent monitoring board and required changes to training.

There have been 41 shootings — 27 of them fatal — by Albuquerque police since 2010. Before Tuesday, the department's last shooting was in May.

Anger over those shootings has generated protests around the city, some which have shut down City Council meetings and closed City Hall in recent months.

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